Method for display of multimedia content

ABSTRACT

A method for display of multimedia content in real time including the steps of determining a MIME type in which the content is formatted; if the content is in a first format, allowing streaming of the content for display using an application capable of displaying multimedia content; if the content is in a second format, parsing the content, and retrieving a list of URLs for all files for the content, accessing the URLs to obtain a datastream of the content; and piping the datastream for display using the application.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method for display of multimedia contentover a network, in real time, and refers particularly, though notexclusively, to a method for display of multimedia content obtained overa network, on a user's machine, where the content can be displayed by asingle application even though the content is not intended to bedisplayed using that application.

DEFINITIONS

Throughout this specification a reference to a network is to include allforms of telecommunications networks including those over cable, fibreoptic cables, wireless, satellites, and direct broadcast (as intelevision and radio). This includes local area networks, wide areanetworks, the Internet, and the World Wide Web.

Throughout this specification a reference to real time is to be taken asallowing for any delays due to delays in transmission which can beincurred due to problems in the network such as, for example, bandwidth;any delays due to processing time taken (usually in the order ofseconds); and any delays due to system buffers to accommodate thestreaming. It does not include, and specifically excludes, systems wherethe streamed data is saved to a disk or other permanent storage mediumfor subsequent display.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

There has been considerable expansion in the availability of multimediacontent over the Internet. Even full-length motion pictures can bedownloaded for viewing in real time using streaming media systems.Unfortunately, much of this content is platform-specific so that a usermust have the required application to view and/or hear the content. Thiscauses significant problems for users in that they must purchase anumber of applications they might otherwise not require solely to viewcertain on-line content.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to providea method for display of multimedia content in real time that will enablethe content to be displayed even if the content is on a platform that isnot compatible with that of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With the above and other objects in mind, the present invention providesa method for display in real time of multimedia content including thesteps of:

-   (a) determining a multipurpose Internet mail extension type in which    a content is formatted;-   (b) if the content is in a first format allowing streaming the    content for display using an application capable of displaying    multimedia content;-   (c) if the content is in a second format, parsing the content, and    retrieving a list of universal resource locators for all files for    the content;-   (d) accessing the universal resource locators to obtain a datastream    of the content; and-   (e) piping the datastream for display using the application.

The first format may be an open source format, and the application maybe an open source application such as, for example, Mplayer. The secondformat may be active streaming format.

The obtaining of the datastream may be by use of a protocol, and theprotocol may be hypertext transfer protocol or multimedia server.

The parsing of the content may be of the asx file containing the URLs ofthe files of the content.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily put intopractical effect, there shall now be described by way of non-limitativeexample only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thedescription being with reference to the accompanying illustrativedrawing which is a flow chart of the operation of the system of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

To refer to the drawing, upon a user starting 10 and logging in 12 theybrowse through various web sites having multimedia content. Uponselecting a web site 14, the system (which is on the user's machine)must first determine the MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions)type of the content the user has selected. For example, the content maybe one of:

-   -   active streaming format-video/x-ms-asf; or    -   an open source application such as        Mplayer-application/x-mplayer-2.

The asf files may have their URLs contained within an asxfile-wvideo/x-ms-asx;

If the URLs are in the asx file, the system parses the asx file toobtain the URLs of all the asf files in which the content is held. ThoseURLs are then accessed in the correct order (as determined from the asxfile) and the datastream is retrieved using http or mms protocols. Thedatastream is then piped and invoked in an open source application suchas, for example, Mplayer. The datastream can then be displayed on theuser's machine using Mplayer (or an equivalent) despite having been heldin asf format.

Files held in other media formats such as, for example, MPEG-1, MPEG-2,DivX, and so forth proceed without change.

The data is retrieved until the end of the stream or until the userinterrupts the display. The data files retrieved are displayed usingMplayer.

As mplayer is the most widely used video player for the * nix platform,it has support for emulating windows-like interfaces to interact withbinary codecs (coders/decoders). This makes the task of including newercodecs far more simple. It can support avi, mpeg and asf file formats.However, current versions of Mplayer can only play pre-recorded files orhttp-based stream content and not a broadcasted stream.

Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description a preferredembodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the technology that many variations or modifications indetails of operation may be made without departing from the presentinvention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A method for display in real time of multimedia content including thesteps of: (a) determining a multipurpose Internet mail extension type inwhich the content is formatted; (b) if the content is in a first format,allowing the streaming of the content for display using an applicationcapable of displaying multimedia content; (c) if the content is in asecond format, parsing the content, and retrieving a list of universalresource locators for all files for the content; (d) accessing theuniversal resource locators to obtain a datastream of the content; and(e) piping the datastream for display using the application.
 2. A methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the first format is an open sourceformat.
 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the application is anopen source application.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein theapplication is Mplayer.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesecond format is active streaming format.
 6. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the obtaining of the datastream is by use of aprotocol.
 7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the protocol ishypertext transfer protocol.
 8. A method as claimed in claim 6, whereinthe protocol is multimedia server.
 9. A method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the parsing of the content is of an asx file containing theuniversal resource locators.